| Our popular series is anticipated each year by Cape Codders and visitors as a welcome institution of our busiest season when one can relax and be enlightened with slide show/lectures about a wide variety of Cape Cod subjects. These talks are offered on Tuesday nights in July and August with an opportunity to meet the evening's speaker and enjoy refreshments. Please go to the Lecture page for a printable copy of the 38th annual listing. |
| Tales of Cape Cod, Inc. is a non-profit historical organization that was established in 1949 with a goal of preserving and disseminating Cape Cod's heritage history in oral and visual form. It began with its members tape recording the stories and eyewitness accounts of Cape Codders. With the advent of the video tape, Tales naturally progressed to taping first-hand impressions of life on the Cape in decades past. These have become a valuable resource for understanding our local history and community. These video taped lectures and television programs are now being transcribed to DVDs and will be available for purchase when completed. |
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| Summer Lecture Series |
| Preserving the Courthouse |
| Community television has helped Tales with the dissemination of its tapes and, in 1991, the Tales of Cape Cod television program began broadcasting. This half-hour show is broadcast throughout the Cape on Monday at 7:00 and Tuesday at 3:30. Check your local listings. |
| Community Television |
| Iyanough Gravesite |
| Iyanough grave site land in Cummaquid is owned by our organization and maintained for Native American burials. Support is provided to our Native American friends in helping to sustain their cultural heritage. |
| Publishing books |
| Preserving the courthouse is a major challenge for our organization - one that takes a lot of time and money but is essential. This building was built in 1772 as the second courthouse of the colony. The King's Court was held here during the pre-Revolutionary era. At that time, it faced Route 6A and was topped with a weather vane depicting the figure of Justice with her scales. |
| Publishing has been a proud achievement of the organization, delighting readers with interesting facts and stories. Donald Trayser's Almanac, Lou Cataldo's Cape Cod Trivia, Dorothy Weston's Henry's Cape Cod are among our many publications for sale. |
| It was here that the famous Protest March of September 1774 was held. At that time, about 1000 people marched in a nonviolent protest to stop the King's Court from sitting because the right of trial by their peers had been taken from the people. Tales presents this activity in a play form to the entire Barnstable 5th grade every June. In 1834, the courthouse became the place of worship for the Third Baptist Church of Barnstable. In April 1972, the membership disbanded and deeded the building to Tales of Cape Cod, Inc. |